


Such a perfect match!

by ThunderFrost2012



Category: Football RPF, Real Person Fiction, Sports RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angels and Devils, Archangels and Archdevils, Developing Relationship, Football | Soccer, Footy Ficathon, M/M, Multi, Secret Relationship, The Author Apologizes, Training, filling my own prompt, i don't know where i'm going with this, sort of, too many things to tag them all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-03-25 23:17:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3828565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThunderFrost2012/pseuds/ThunderFrost2012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>an attempt to fill one of my own prompts of the old Footy Ficathon:</p><p>Angels&Devils<br/>Paradise against Hell.</p><p>They set up a football match to decide the destiny of humanity, who wins conquers it all.<br/>Of course it’s not a classic match, it doesn’t last only 90 minutes, it can last years with endless replacements of the players (and any player who has been replaced after a while can go back on field again… )</p><p>And of course, there will be countless flirts during that (or also clandestine relationships between angels and devils who are already together)<br/>Relationships can be also angel/angel and devil/devil and can start even before the match, of course!</p><p>As long as players of German NT are involved, you can throw in everyone you like: Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester City.. the more, the merrier!</p><p>Coaches (Klopp, Guardiola, Löw , Mourinho.. etc ) can be archangels and archdevils!</p><p>Bonus points if you give me Miro/Thomas, Manu/Philipp, Lukas/Bastian , even better if Miro,Philipp and Lukas are angels and Thomas, Manu and Basti are devils! Of course, choose any other pairing you want</p><p>Updated on 6th September 2016!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I know I had to update something else, instead of starting something new, but this idea has been running through my mind for several days.. so I just gave in!
> 
> I know that someone else already tried to write about it (and Scionavarielle's and Fernando9andSergio15's works are 10000 times better than mine ) but none of them gave me the football match stuff... so if no one else can do it... try and do it on your own! ;)
> 
> but I'm already apologizing for this.
> 
> Disclaimer: The characters don't belong to me. This has never happened. My mind gets crazier day after day...
> 
> as always, not beta-ed, sorry for this, too

_“_ […] If e’er the sacred poem, that hath made, Both Heaven and earth copartners in its toil, And with a lean abstincence, through many a year, Faded my brow, be destined to prevail, Over the cruelty, which bars me forth, Of the fair sheep-fold, where, a sleeping lamb, The wolves set on and fain had worried me; […]”  
   
Miroslav loved reading; he thought it was the best way to welcome the new souls who arrived to Heaven.  
Besides, that was a canto from Divine Comedy, _Paradiso_ , it couldn’t have fitted much better.  
   
He was one of the guardians of the Holy Gates, it had been his job for more than 350 years and he couldn’t picture himself doing something else.  
   
Some of the angels used to stop their activity and sit around him with the souls, listening to his reading or tales.  
Miroslav had such a soothing voice who could instill calm and serenity.  
   
Usually, Archangels didn’t use to interrupt his task, but that day was an exception.  
   
“Dear my son, you’ll finish your reading another time, you must come with us!” Joachim informed him.  
   
“Well, probably it could take even ages before you can go back to your books!” Vladimir chuckled, snatching the book from his hands and placing it on the ground.  
   
“Why? What is happening?” The angel frowned.  
   
“Like I said before, follows us, the others are already in the conference room!” Joachim retorted, flying away with his two colleagues.  
   
Miroslav hadn’t any other choice but following them, so he spread out his large, white and feathered wings and flew to the conference room.  
   
Said room was a wide open space, with clouds instead of seats. A larger cloud were used as a sort of stage and in that moment Vladimir, Joachim and Carlo were pacing around it.  
   
As it’s easy to figure out, Heaven was crowded by hundreds of angels and every of them was like a brother to Miroslav, but, like everyone, he had his group of favorite friends around there.  
   
And said friends had reserved a cloud just for him.  
   
“Miro, come here, I guess you’re the only one missing!” Lukas called for him, waving his hand.  
   
Lukas was around 290 years old and was an angel of Hope. He was quite a funny guy and loved having a good laugh once in a while, even if one of his brothers had to pay the price for it.  
   
“So, Luks, are you going to behave at least today?” Miroslav asked his friend.  
   
“Don’t be so sure about it!” Manuel – another of his friends- intervened, while he was busy caressing the goldfinch who was tweeting on his shoulder.  
   
Manuel was an angel of Righteousness, but he was also fond of animals, he was rare to see him without any of those lovely God’s creatures.  
He was a tad younger of Lukas, but surely less childish.  
   
“What do you mean?” Miroslav asked him.  
   
“See Erik, ten clouds from here?” Manuel said, pointing to him the angel of Simplicity in question and he waited for Miroslav to nod. “Luks brought to him a glass of water.”  
   
“So, what’s wrong with that?” Miroslav frowned.  
   
“Nothing, my good friend was thirsty and I helped him!” Lukas replied, way too innocently.  
   
“Oh, c’mon, Lukas, tell him the whole truth, such as it was water from the Thousands-Colours River and he has already drank it. It’s only a matter of seconds now…” Manu stated, while the whole trio stared at Erik.  
   
And then it happened. The youngest angel – Erik was only 220 years old- had a jolt and his white wings turned into multicolored ones.  
He saw the tip of them  and realized everything, so he looked around, feeling awkward and slightly bothered, until his eyes met  Lukas’s and his confused expression turned into a glare.  
   
“Oh, c’mon, Erik, tomorrow the effect will fade away!” The angel of Hope warned him from afar, chuckling and shrugging.  
   
 “Lukas! You must give up with that!” Miroslav reproached him.  
   
“Why, there’s nothing bad, after all. Look, I turned Erik into the center of everyone’s attention. I did a favor to him.” Lukas justified.  
   
“One of these days, someone will make you taste your own medicine and you’ll realize that it’s not as funny as you think.” Manuel warned him.  
   
“Well, let’s make that day arrive and then we will see!” His interlocutor stuck his tongue out at him.  
   
“Keep silent, they’re about to speak!” Toni, an angel of Purity, hissed.  
   
And he was right.  
   
From the stage, Joachim began to clear his throat and then he spoke with an amplified voice, so everyone could hear him.  
   
“My dear and loyal brothers, you’ll surely be wondering what you’re doing all gathered here. Well, you must know that Carlo, Vladimir and I come from a long meeting with all the other archangels and the upper levels, too.” He commenced.  
   
“Yes, because the Supreme Chief is sick of Hell trying to get supremacy, so He’s determined to solve the matter once for all.” Vladimir went on.  
“Oh no, not a war! Please, not again, I can’t stand all that violence!” Benedikt, an angel of Prudence almost cried.  
   
“Nope, my dear sonny, do not worry about that. I mean, yes, you’re going to fight hard, but not in a real war.” Joachim clarified.  
   
“Jogi is right. Our Supreme Chief and the Lord of Hell decided to resort to something more playful. It’s a game that’s very common among the mortals.” Carlo informed them.  
   
“A game of cards? I like it!” Toni wondered.  
   
“A game of chess? I love whatever requests a lot of pondering…” Frank, an angel of Modesty stated.  
   
“Or maybe it’s a game of arrows! I have such a good aim!” Mario, a young angel of Kindness wondered as well.  
   
“Nope, my dears, I’m afraid that it’s something that request a lot more of action.” Carlo explained. “There will be a football match.”  
   
“Football? As the football humans are used to play on Earth?” Miroslav wondered, in disbelief.  
   
“Yep, exactly that one.” Vladimir nodded.  
   
“I like that, it sounds so much fun!” Mario rejoiced, clapping his hands excitedly.  
   
“I heard that football several times rescued people from poverty or misery, giving them a new reason to go on… so it’s something good for sure! I’m okay with it!” Frank beamed.  
   
“Of course, it will be not a standard match. To begin with, it’s going to last much longer than ninety minutes, probably years or even a century!” Joachim pointed out.  
   
“But how can it be?” Manuel wondered.  
   
“And why are you telling this to the whole crowd if only a few of us are going to be chosen for the match?” Benedikt asked them.  
   
“Benni is right, you won’t need me for sure… could I go back to my books?” Miroslav demanded.  
   
He saw that whole football thing as a useless waste of time.  
   
“All your doubts will be extinguished with time, you’ll learn about all the special rules.” Carlo informed everyone.  
   
“And nope, Miro, you can’t go back. You will be extremely needed in this matter, just like Frank and all the other ones you’re afraid that they don’t have the most suitable age for that.” Vladimir seemed to read Miroslav’s mind and the Guardian angel nodded with reverence and a bit of thankfulness, too.  
   
He loved feeling needed.  
   
“Vladi is right. But before that, we have to test your skills, starting from now. So we will find out who is more suitable to play a remarkable part of the match, but also who is not very qualified for that.” Joachim explained.  
   
“So now, let’s follow us. There’s a football camp we created for training. C’mon, aren’t you eager to start?” Carlo incited everyone and they yelled thrilled in response.  
   
“We also provided the right outfit for all of you in the lockers. We guess you wouldn’t feel much comfortable playing in your tunic!” Vladimir chuckled, before leading with Carlo and Joachim all the angels to the designed place.  
   
   
   
*********************************** (In the meantime)  
   
“I’m soooo fucking bored!” Thomas whined.  
   
He was sitting in a slumped position on a stone, throwing pebbles into a puddle of dark water.  
   
Hell could get rather boring, even if, with his 250 years, Thomas was a relatively young devil.  
   
“Shut up and don’t bother me with all your bloody whines, go torture all your damned souls!” Robert instigated him.  
   
He was laying down, not very far from the other, getting some rest after his job.  
   
After all, being a devil of Lust required a lots of energies!  
   
“I’ve already done it this morning, but I have to leave some job to do even to my other colleagues in the Circle of Sloth!” Thomas replied.  
   
“Oh, well, let me recover a little bit and then we can surely find an interesting way to spend the time together!” The slightly older devil purred, stroking his already half-hard cock through his tight, black leather pants.  
   
“Naaah, I don’t feel like doing such stuff, also because you never allow me to be on top!” The younger snorted.  
   
“Correction, sweetie: I never let _anyone_ top me. No one ever will!” Robert declared firmly.  
   
Their conversation was interrupted by Bastian rushing there.  
   
“Have you seen Arjen?” He asked them and they shook their head negatively.  
   
“Alright! I’m going to hide here for a while and if that moody guy passes by, you haven’t seen me anywhere!” Bastian urged them, before hiding behind a stone near them.  
   
Arjen arrived a few minutes after.  
   
“Where is he? Did you see that fucking bastard?” He roared.  
   
“If you mean Basti, naaah, he didn’t ask us to tell you we haven’t seen him.” Thomas informed him.  
   
“And he’s not hiding there!” Robert added, pointing at the right stone.  
   
Arjen shot an electric shake and the moment after Bastian jumped out, yelping in pain.  
   
“You’re the worst friends ever1” He grumbled, glaring at Thomas and Robert while he massaged his aching horn.  
   
“You didn’t even tell us why Arjen is so pissed off at you!” Thomas pointed out.  
   
“Because he must bloody quit with his fucking pranks. Look what he did to my poor tail!” The bald devil roared, showing his pointy tail half covered in tar.  
   
“It’s not my fault if you get so numb when you sleep that you can’t even notice that something is happening!” Bastian giggled.  
   
He was a devil of Despair, so his job required such a serious commitment that he really needed to unburden the tension somewhat and pranks were a perfect way.  
And being 300 years old, Bastian surely knew tons of practical jokes, but maybe picking up as favorite victim just a devil of Wrath – the oldest one, too- probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do.  
   
“The tar glued my tail to the mattress and I had to pull so hard to break free that I broke it!” Arjen grumbled.  
   
“Your tail?” Thomas asked in awe.  
   
Not that he gave a damn to what happened to Arjen, he was just surprised that it wasn’t something painful. He couldn't even bring himself to imagine what he would do if something bad had happened to his own tail. Plus, Arjen's tail didn’t seem broken. Sure, there were pieces of mattress glued to it, but it seemed to be whole and perfectly working.  
   
“No, you idiot, of course not, I meant my mattress!” the oldest snapped, while Bastian bust out laughing.  
   
“What are you bloody laughing about? You owe me a new mattress, you stupid…” Arjen growled, ready to hit Bastian again.  
   
“What’s going on here?” Another devil interrupted them, dragged there by all the yelling.  
   
Everyone shut up and assumed a woeful attitude immediately.  
   
It was Philipp and if they had a certainty in their life, that was to never piss that guy off.  
   
Philipp was a devil of Gluttony, but this didn’t prevent him from wanting to have the whole control over everything that happened in Hell.  
   
He was 320 years old and he was on his way to become an archdevil, one day.  
   
His petite body and his childlike visage might deceive, but all the other devils knew better: Philipp was not a guy to mess around with; he was incapable of forgiveness and enjoyed painful punishment way too much.  
“So? An angel got your tongue or what?” Philipp snorted, scrutinizing everyone.  
   
“Uh, well, Fips, nothing big… Bastian was proving for the umpteenth time he's just an idiot!” the devil of Wrath replied.  
   
“And Arjen was proving he's only a sourpuss without any sense of humour!” The devil of Despair struck back.  
   
 “I was simply getting bored, but without doing anything stupid… and Robert here was just getting some rest!” Thomas justified.  
   
“You know I don’t tolerate childish behavior, and even less I tolerate laziness!” Philipp hissed. “However, I had a reason more to come here. You’re the only ones missing, come with me to the Cave of Announcements!” He urged them, before disappearing into a flame.  
   
After the others mirrored his actions, they realized that every devil in the whole Hell had been summoned in the cave.  
   
And from the highest stone, surrounded by purple and black flames, three of the most mighty archdevils were about to speak.  
   
Pep, Jürgen and José informed their crowd about the important decision the lowest levels had taken, just like Joachim, Carlo and Vladimir had done in Heaven.  
   
The only difference is that devils wished for a real, merciless war.  
   
“Football? Couldn’t there ever be something lamer?” André, a devil of Corruption grimaced.  
   
“André is right, I need something more motivating, I want to dip my hands in angel’s blood!” Mats, a devil of Recklessness protested.  
He really craved some violence.  
   
“I’m afraid this is not that kind of war, but you can always commit faults, maybe a very, very painful one!” Jürgen adviced him, sneering.  
   
“Sure, maybe you’ll be temporary sent off the field for that, but it would be surely worth it!” José agreed.  
   
“I don’t mind, as long as it’s something that can make me show everyone how capable, awesome and flawless I am, I’m okay with it!” Cristiano shrugged, arranging his perfect black hair with a pocket mirror he never parted from.  
   
For the records, he was a devil of Pride.  
   
“As  long as it's something that can allow us to humiliate those pompous feathered idiots I’m okay with it!” Marco cheered.  
   
He was a young devil of Hostility and never lost a chance to give trouble to his sworn enemies.  
   
“Hey, hey, chill down, maybe you’re not getting the point!” Jürgen hissed.  
   
“Damn right, we’re not going to take you, bunch of lazy-asses, to a fun-fair to have a ride on the merry-go-round!” José grumbled.  
   
“Yeah, mark it in your mind, we’re going to a football camp and you’re going to breathe Football, drink Football, eat Football until we turn you all into perfect war machines… or rather Football machines!” Pep asserted coldly.  
   
“Your training start from now and the one who arrives last get an extra dose of working out!” Jürgen warned everyone evilly.  
   
There’s no need to tell that Philipp was the first to arrive to said football camp, after Pep revealed where it was located.  
   
Cristiano was the second, only to prove the archdevils how punctual and determined he was.  
   
Robert, Bastian, Mats, Marco, André and Thomas were still in the Cave.  
   
No need to worry about that, because at least one-hundred devils were still there.  
   
“Does anyone want a quick shag before we go?” Robert offered, stirring in a provocative way.  
   
“No thanks, I don’t plan to arrive last only because you can’t keep your pants on!” Bastian grumbled, vanishing away.  
   
“I still think it’s stupid and useless, but I want to play anyway!” André stated, disappearing into a flame as well.  
   
Mats and Marco followed him a few seconds later.  
   
“Okay, I guess we’d better go, the Cave is emptying rather quickly!” Robert observed.  
   
“Like you always do!” Thomas made fun of him, chuckling.  
   
“Heyy! Don’t you dare insult my passionate lover abilities, I can last for whole nights!” He roared, rather insulted in his ego.  
   
“Yeah, sure, at least try to last half day running on field!” Thomas struck back, before following the others.  
   
He was happy, finally he had something to do.  
   
TBC


	2. I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training is about to start, with some discoveries …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloooo
> 
> thanks for kudos and comments ^^  
> Hope you’ll still stick around and every new reader is more than welcomed   
> Not beta-ed and quickly re-read, so sorry for mistakes :(

  
The angels couldn’t contain their adrenaline, starting from the moment when they reached their lockers, where their brand new jersey and shorts were waiting for them.  
Sure, most of them had already worn human clothes before, when they had a mission on Earth - not to mention that someone had looked so good that he impressed his counter part a lot- , but doing such a thing in Heaven, oh, that felt so different!  
No one hanged out without wearing their heavy, white tunics there.  
  
"Okay, guys, let's try to get dressed before next century!" Miroslav urged everyone, chuckling, opening his locker.

There were two types of uniform in each locker, according to the role every angel would choose to play; Miroslav still didn't know if he would be a striker, a defender or a figure in the middle, but he knew for sure that he didn't want to be a goalkeeper.  
That was a way too big responsibility for him.

Also Manuel was carefully studying the two different types of clothes, He could easily picture him trying to score or to prevent the adversaries from reaching the goalpost area and then he held the goalkeeper gloves in his hands and wore them only for curiosity.  
But when that fabric came in contact with his skin he felt a sort of connection, as if he was receiving a call. He dropped the normal player uniform, he didn't need it anymore.

Not very far from him, also Frank was establishing what to wear, but deep inside he had already chosen: that light blue jersey seemed to be born for him to wear it.  
He was so convinced of that that once he was ready he blinked twice and a whole figure mirror appeared, allowing him to admire himself in it.  
That was a little habit he had assumed from a certain devil of Pride, during his last mission on Earth. After all, there was nothing wrong in liking their own features and, for the record, with his well toned chest, his long legs and beautiful blue eyes, Frank was a very good looking guy.  
He couldn't help picturing how said counterpart would have looked like: red, black, brown, purple, blue, green, orange... even white; Frank couldn't find any colour that didn’t suit that devil.  
  
"What are you doing?" Miroslav interrupted his silent considerations, appearing behind his reflection and making Frank jolt. "Is it a mirror?" He added with a blaming tone.  
"Well, Miro, there's nothing bad in a mirror, it's such a useful tool to control if you're wearing something wrong or if a colour doesn't fit with your skin, you eyes or your hair..." Frank justified.  
  
"Angels shouldn't pay attention to such superficial stuff. I guess you’re a bad example for all the other angels around..." The guardian grumbled.  
"Why? It's not that I'm feeling better or more beautiful than anyone else; I just feel more comfortable with my aspect and comfort has never been a negative thing!" The angel of Modesty justified.  
  
"Well, not this kind of comfort!" Miro retorted. "Now, since you're ready, reach the others; I'll make this awful thing disappear before someone else can see it." He established, with a serious attitude.  
With a little snort of protest, Frank obeyed, leaving.  
It wasn’t a simple mirror to him, but it was an important gift.

Miroslav placed himself in front of the mirror, left his hand solemnly, in the attempt of making it disappear, but then he saw something that made him change his mind: his own reflection.  
  
\- _Oh my, light blue fits me to a T... I look even younger!-_ He mused, arranging his hair starting to make every kind of facial expressions, seeing the result.  
He had to admit that mirrors were fun.  
  
He heard the noise of some footsteps growing closer and closer, so he rushed to make that mirror disappear once for all.  
He smiled, recognizing who it was from afar, after all those multicolored wings were useful.

"Miro, Vladimir is looking for you, are you ready?" Erik approached him.  
"Sure, I was just checking something, nothing important... let's go!" The older shrugged, leaving with him.  
  
Erik stared at him better.  
  
"Hey, what did you do to your hair?" The younger wondered, pointing to the guardian's new hairstyle, he had a crew-cut with a little mohawk in the middle.  
"Huh, it’s  just a little change, why? Shouldn't I have done it?" Miro started to feel awkward.  
  
_\- Maybe I've spent too much time with that mirror... -_  
  
The angel of Simplicity shook his head negatively, grinning at him.  
"You look great!"  
  
Benedikt crossed their way, without even looking at them, engrossed as he was searching through his tablet.  
Yes, even Heaven had Wi-Fi, broadband and high speed connection.  
  
"Geez, Benni, you haven't even changed your clothes yet! Don't let Jogi see you like that if you don't want to find out how angry an archangel can become!" Miroslav warned him.  
"Guys, do you have the slightest idea of how dangerous football can be?" The angel of Prudence utterly ignored his words, showing them the display filled with images of human players enduring fractures, contusions, distortions and also more serious damages.  
  
"You're right, my friend, it could happen, that's what happens when you play Football!" Miroslav explained.  
"Yep, but if you like this sport so much like I do, nothing should scare you!" Erik grinned.  
"It’s not that I don't love it, but....  I just have to do something about it!" Benedikt grumbled, walking away.  
  
  
Miroslav and Erik were still trying to find out what he meant, when Lukas rushed towards them.  
  
“Can’t wait to start the training, I want to strike at least ten goals!” The angel of Hope cheered.  
“Who said you’re going to be a striker?” Miroslav wondered.  
“The drawing lots did; you know, since no one could decide what role to play, Jogi, Vladimir and Carlo wrote all the roles on a piece of cloud, put it on a jar and then asked each of us to pick it randomly, I got the striker one!” He explained, grinning.  
“I also got the same result, isn’t it great?” Mario rejoiced, reaching his friends. “I heard that when a player strikes, all the others congratulate him with hugs… well, I really love being hugged!” He beamed.  
  
“Well. I don’t need to pick anything; I already decide what I want to be!” Manuel informed them, already in his acid green uniform.  
“Woah, Manu, you’re so brave, goalkeeper is not an easy task!” Lukas admired him.  
“Yeah, Ron-Robert, Iker and Federico have been chosen for the same role and are desperate, poor dears!!” Toni recounted, giggling.  
“Well, I think I can do that.” The angel of Righteousness confirmed, almost repenting for his choice.  
  
- _Okay, maybe the fact that goalkeepers dress better and have to run less than the others are not good reasons to choose to be one of them.-_ He mumbled, a little afraid of what he would have to face, but glancing at his gloves he somewhat felt he was ready for that.  
  
“What have you been chosen for?” Erik asked him.  
“Midfielder! I can both help the strikers and the defenders, I’m going to have so much fun!” The angel of Purity smirked, eager to start.  
“Come with me, guys, it’s time to find out what your destiny will be!” Lukas grabbed Miro’s and Erik’s hands and dragged them away with him.  
  
He ran in the archangel’s directions, Vladimir handed over to them.  
Miro was the first one to pick a piece of cloud up and then it was Erik’s turn.  
“Well, Luks, let’s hope to do a great teamwork if we’re going to play together, I’ll be a striker, too!” The Guardian angel smiled, displaying the result.  
  
“Instead I’m going to be a defender; I’ll make sure that no one gets too closer to the goalpost!” The angel of Simplicity assured, determined.  
“That’s the spirit, my dear!” Joachim nodded.  
“Especially if you try to get closer to it!” He added, glaring at Lukas.  
“Even if we play in the same team?” The angel of Hope giggled innocently.  
 “I really hope we’re going to train in different teams, so I can be allowed to give you lots of trouble without actually doing anything wrong!” The angel of Simplicity retorted.  
  
 “Hey, Miro, I’m a striker, too!” Frank informed him.  
“Oh, so you’re going to _mirror_ my actions!” Miroslav struck back, pungently.  
  
Obviously, only Frank caught the hint in Miroslav’s words, before looking at him better.  
  
“Hey, what a nice new hairstyle, if only you saw how good you look with that… or maybe you already did!” The angel of Modesty accused him.  
“Huh! That’s none of your business!” Miro shrugged, walking away.  
  
“Okay, I guess we can start, is there still someone missing?” Carlo wondered.  
“Wait, I still have to pick my role up!” Benedikt ran towards them.  
  
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.  
  
After all, the angel of Prudence in question wore not only the player uniform, but also shin guards, elbows protections, kneepads, a rugby helmet and even a mouth guard that he cleverly pulled out before speaking, otherwise no one would comprehend him.  
  
“Holy Heaven, Benedikt, if it’s a joke it’s not funny!” Joachim grumbled, rolling his eyes.  
“It’s not; I’d never joke about safety!” The Angel of Prudence asserted. “Now, please, let me find out my role.” He added, trying to reach the jar, but Vladimir pushed it far from him.  
“Your role will be only the clown mascot of the team if you don’t take off all that stuff!” He hissed.  
  
Benedikt sighed.  
“Can I least keep the shin guards?” He demanded and the trio  of Bosses nodded.  
  
Benedikt finally was allowed to pick a piece of cloud from the jar.  
“Huh! Looks like I’ll be a defender.” He murmured.  
“Alright, just like me!” Erik smiled at him.  
“So, if we happen to play together, please, protect me from the strikers… or anyone else!” Benedikt pleaded, making the youngest frown.  
  
“Okay, Benni, we’ll pretend we didn’t hear you!” Carlo patiently murmured, speaking also for his colleagues. “Now let’s leave the lockers, it’s time for the training to start!”  
  
************************* (In the meantime)  
  
Opposite to Heaven, in the lockers of Hell everyone was rather quick and in less than ten minutes all the devils rushed to the archdevils, already wearing their dark red jerseys and shorts.  
  
“We’re ready!” they cheered in unison.  
“No way, I don’t think so! Look at you, not even one of you is wearing the goalkeeper uniform!” Pep made them notice.  
  
“Well, don’t count on me, I’m not going to wear anything yellow, it doesn’t set off my perfectly tanned skin and beautiful eyes!” Cristiano justified  
“This is the lamest justification ever!” José grumbled. “But you’re right; I don’t see you as a goalkeeper either!”  
  
“Damn right, I’ll be a striker, I’ll be every goalkeeper’s nightmare and the crowd will adore me; even the adversary one because… oh c’mon, did you see me?” He shrugged, with a pleased smirk.  
After all, he knew for sure that in the adversary field a certain angel of Modesty would surely show some affection to him.  
  
 "Well, since I wouldn't mind to be the strikers’ nightmare I guess I'll be a goalkeeper" Oliver offered, growling.  
  
He was a devil of Highhandedness and it was enough only one of his terrible glares to keep anyone far from him.  
  
"Well, I guess you can do that, it’s not like you’ll have troubles finding colours that suit you... none does!" Cristiano irreverently struck back.  
"Mind your mouth, you sissy fashion-victim dandy!" The devil of Highhandedness roared and attempted to hurl on him, but Pep and Jürgen held him still.  
"Although I always approve violence, I need both of you whole and alive for the match!" Jürgen explained, letting him go only when Oliver proved to have calmed down."And you, quit provoking him so much!" José blamed Cristiano who just shrugged.  
  
Alright, looks like we finally have at least a goalkeeper!" Pep sarcastically said. "And... how many strikers?" He attempted to ask.  
Save from Oliver and Cristiano who had already expressed their preferences, all the other devils lifted their arms up.  
  
"Okay, I guess you can realize on your own that we can't have a team made of only strikers!" Jürgen tried to point out with a patience that wasn't proper of an archdevil.  
"Jürgie is right; c'mon guys, I know that you think that to score is the only cool thing to do in this game, but you're wrong, also the other roles prove to be fun!" Pep tried to convince them.  
  
He had amazing motivations skills.  
  
"Okay, on second thought I don't mind playing in defense or wherever else, as long as I get to have absolute control on every action that happens in my team, I can decide every strategy and order what to do to every player!” Philipp demanded.  
  
“Deal, if you accept to play as a defender, you can be one of the Captains!” Pep agreed.  
“One of the Captains? I want to be _the_ Captain!” The devil of Gluttony frowned, a little disappointed.  
  
“Geez, Fips, think about it; you all are going to play, probably even for years… so do you really think you’ll be always the only Captain of your team?” José pointed out.  
“Huh, yeah, I guess that I can’t!” Philipp grunted.  
“Sure of course you can’t and when you’ll be asked to leave the field, you’ll have to find a substitute… like me, although I’m going to be a striker, no matter what!” Thomas asserted.  
  
“Well, Bastian could be my substitute, or Robert, or Arjen, or Mats, Cristiano, Lionel, even  Neymar, but surely not you!” The elder struck back.  
“But why?” The younger snorted.  
“Oh, c’mon, Thomas, I wouldn’t even entrust you to bake my muffins, let alone to lead my team!” The devil of Gluttony revealed.  
  
After all, tact wasn’t Hell strong point for sure!  
  
The devil of  Sloth didn’t reply, but he looked away.  
Robert slid closer to him, hugging him from behind.  
  
“C’mon, Sugar, don’t mind at that old grouch; when I’ll get to be the Captain I’ll choose you as my substitute.” The devil of Lust promised, nibbling his lobe.  
  
Thomas giggled and then parted from him.  
  
“Nice try, but, nope, you won’t get laid for that…not with me, at least. Not anymore!” He declared.  
“The more he plays hard to get, the more he drives me crazy!” Robert whispered to Mats, but the devil of Recklessness wasn’t even paying attention to him, bewitched by Pep’s words.  
  
“Huh, maybe to play as a defender must be even more thrilling than to be a striker, I’m going to try that!” He decided. “And you must do that with me!” He urged André.  
“Why not? It sounds fun! Think about all the faults we can commit to prevent the strikers from scoring!” The devil of Corruption sneered and then he turned to Marco “So, are you going to join the club?” He suggested.  
  
“No way, I’m going to be a striker, along with Thomas and Robert!” The devil of Hostility informed them. “Also strikers can make very painful faults!” He chuckled.  
“Damn right, Marco, we’re going to make everyone repent for crossing our way!” Robert assured, wrapping an arm around Marco and the other around Thomas.  
  
“I don’t want any of your stupid hugs, so if I have to chose another role to avoid all this sickening ‘best friends corner’ , I’ll do. I’m going to be a Midfielder, I can even score like that if I want!” Bastian grumbled.  
  
This worked as an example for many other devils, so after twenty minutes Pep, José and Jürgen could count on a team with equally distributed roles.  
  
“Okay, guys, let’s wait for some of you to change into their goalkeeper uniforms and then we can start.” Pep informed the crowd.  
  
“Can’t wait to start, I’m so excited!” Marco cheered.  
“Me, too; but do you know what would be even more exciting? To play football with horses!” Thomas suggested, grinning madly.  
  
“What?” André frowned.  
“You heard me, imagine how cool it would be trying to score while riding a horse. And if I could use mine it would be perfect. Mia-San-Mia is beautiful, powerful, terrifying, fast as a lightening and she can even spit fire!” Thomas went on, already daydreaming.  
  
 “Yeah, Thom, sure, why don’t we all play football with horses?” Bastian pretended to get along with him. “Then all we have to do is to provide some sticks, use a smaller ball and… here we go, we’re playing Polo!” The devil of Despair made him notice.  
  
Thomas blinked in awe.  
  
“Are you telling that there’s really a sort of football that can be played with horses?”  
“Yep, but the main problem is that it’s not football; give in!” Mats rolled his eyes.  
“Well, unless you don’t try to persuade Pep and the others to change sport for this match…” Marco suggested with nonchalance.  
  
It took Thomas only the time to hear it, before rushing towards the archdevils.  
  
André chuckled with his other mates.  
  
“I knew he would do that!”  
\-----------------------------------------  
 

After Thomas’ innovative idea was rejected for three times, each for archdevils, with the worst insults ever; all the devils could finally leave their lockers, heading towards the field.  
  
And that’s when they noticed something rather relevant.  
  
“Why are there two fields?” André asked his Bosses.  
“And mostly while the other one is full of angels?” Marco asked, clearly disappointed.  
  
It was time for explanations.  
  
“In case you didn’t notice, we’re not in Hell anymore.” Jürgen commenced.  
“That’s right, we are in Purgatory now, which means neutral territory.” José informed them.  
“So, as we’re allowed to stay here, angels are as well and both us and the stupid archangels decided this was the best way to train. All together, separated only by that chain-link fence.” Pep explained, while they were about to enter.  
  
“I don’t want to train closed to those feathered, sappy idiots! Look at them, they keep giggling, and smiling, and being so unjustifiably  happy… and they’re so full of kindness.. eeeww!” Marco said, grimacing in disgust.  
  
_\- Is that stupid, chubby midget waving his stupid hand at me? –_ He figured out, puzzled, seeing a blond angel, probably a little younger than him, staring at him with a beam, without stopping to wave his hand.  
  
“Oh, c’mon, it will be fun to spy on them, they are so clumsy!” Mats chuckled, while his attention was drawn by a tall, blond, quite attractive angel who seemed afraid to be hit by the ball.  
 

There’s no need to say that from the other side of the chain-link fence all the angels were astonished in the same way.  
  
“Why are all those devils here? Wasn’t this supposed to be private training?” Miroslav wondered.

"That' s what happens when you  train in Purgatory." Vladimr replied.  
"That's right, my dears, we've just thought that training all together would have helped you get in the atmosphere of the match better." Carlo added.  
"You just have to concentrate in your work , without minding at them; but mostly don't do what they do!" Joachim instructed them. "Now go back to your warm-up session!"

"What are you doing, Mario? Stop it!" Erik urged his friend.  
"But why? They've just arrived, I just want to make them feel welcome!" The angel of Kindness justified, smiling at the tall devil with bleached hair who was making a funny face to him.  
"Holy Heaven, Mario, they're not friends and they're anything but nice! And Jogi has just said we shouldn't mind at .. huh, them!" The angel of Simplicity stuck back, trying his best to ignore probably the bluest - and most beautiful - eyes he had ever seen that were piercing through his so intensely that Erik almost could feel naked.

That's why he opened wide his multicolored wings and pushed them forward, in the attempt of hiding his face behind them.

"Oh, that's interesting, I didn't know that there were such beautiful peacocks in Heaven." Robert murmured from the other side, pointing at the shy angel with such peculiar wings.  
  
Maybe he had found something more appealing than making useless advances to Thomas.

"I don't give a damn to his stupid wings! Can't you see, guys? We have those feathered ninnies at our whole disposal; think about all the pranks we could make them endure!" Bastian incited his friends, almost drooling at the only thought.  
  
“No way, Bastian, there’s no time for craps! We are here for training and training it’s the only thing we’ll do! Did you hear me?” Philipp scolded him with his most commanding tone, while he was searching through the adversary field, looking for someone.  
  
_\- Uhmm, maybe it’s not his turn to train yet!_ – He mused, a little upset.  
  
“Okay, no pranks…” Bastian gave in, snorting.  
  
\- _For today!_ – He evilly added in his mind.  
  
“Hey guys, who’s that angel?” Thomas wondered.  
“Who?” Bastian frowned.  
“The one who’s getting acquainted with the ball.”  
“Geez. Thomas, everyone there is doing that!” Mats made him notice, rolling his eyes.  
  
“I mean, the one with gorgeous hair and gentle smile, who is bouncing so gracefully!” The devil of Sloth clarified, pointing at the angel in question.  
“Huh. Well, I don’t know his name, but I know he’s an ancient angel, a Guardian or something… you shouldn’t waste any time with him!” Philipp informed him.  
  
Probably to know everything that happened in Hell wasn’t enough for the devil of Gluttony, he had to be informed also about Heaven.  
  
“Oh, really? He doesn’t look ancient at all…” Thomas murmured, unable to take his eyes off of him.  
  
“Whatever, stay away from him!” Philipp retorted.  
  
Too bad that to prevent Thomas from doing something had just one result: to make him want to do that even more.

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh well, in case you're wondering, the Oliver mentioned is Oliver Kahn, lol, he seemed to fit the role XD
> 
> You got some hints of some pairings, but get ready for many interactions from chapters II on ^^
> 
> Hope you liked it, please, don’t be shy, feel free to tell me everything, please, give me even a tiny sign you're here... I accept even insults! XD
> 
> If you have any suggestion for this story, something you’d like to see happen, etc, fell free to ask me. If it gets along with the plot (yeah, somehow this thing has a plot) I’ll be happy to please you ^^
> 
> You can find me on twitter @CherishedDream4 or on my lj http://hyper-bliss.livejournal.com/ ;)  
> Bye ^^


	3. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas needs some help, Manuel has a weak point, Frank has a problem to solve and… many other things to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello?  
> Shamefully late (I apologize, but I had a huge writer-block crisis about this fandom and I'm trying to get over with it), but I'm back.
> 
> I don't expect anyone to still remember this story... but let's try.
> 
> Not beta-ed, sorry for mistakes

It took the twentieth 'Don't do it!' to work its magic on Thomas.  
The Sloth devil walked towards the enemy field with self assurance, reaching the board.  
  
"Hello!" He chirped, but the ancient angel went on with the bouncing, without even noticing him.  
"I said 'Hello’!'" Thomas tried again, louder.  
  
This time Miroslav stopped his activity and turned his back. And he saw him.  
  
Black little horns, messy and curly brown hair, mesmerizingeyes and the cutest grin he had ever seen, with those sort of wolfish teeth.  
  
\- _Wait a minute. Cute? He's a devil. Devils can't be cute!-_ the angel reminded to himself, puzzled, turning his back again and returning his attention to the ball.  
  
"Hey, old angel, you're deliberately ignoring me, this is quite rude!" Thomas complained, pouting.  
"Well, even calling me 'old' is not the fairest thing to do!" Miroslav struck back, a little insulted, without stopping to bounce.  
  
He was rather touchy about his age and didn’t like much jokes or teasing about it.  
   
"But I'm a devil, I'm not supposed to act nicely!" the devil chuckled, looking even cuter to Miroslav's eyes. "But you are an angel, so you're supposed to be kinder and show me mercy, patience and all those stupid holy stuff you feathered guys are so fond of!" He went on.  
"I guess you're right, I'm sorry if I tried to ignore you before." Miroslav apologized, scratching his halo.  
  
"You're more than forgiven!" Thomas grinned, stretching his hand towards him. "I'm Thomas, nice to meet you!" he grinned.  
  
The angel was more and more confused by the young devil' s odd behavior.  
  
"I... I'm Miroslav and I’m equally pleased to meet you!" He babbled, shaking his hand. "So, can I help you somewhat? Without doing anything too blameful, that's it!"  
  
Thomas burst out laughing.  
  
"Calm down, Miroslav!" he said, enjoying how his tongue slid slowly on his lips, saying that beautiful and mystical name. "If I had to follow my nature, we should just lay down here, doing absolutely nothing!"  
  
"Huh?" the older frowned.  
"I'm a devil of Sloth, the most innocuous of the sins, but despite being apparently so innocently, I’ve conquered tons of souls with that!" The younger sneered.  
  
"I don't want to hear about that!" Miroslav rolled his eyes, snorting. "What do you want from me, Thomas?"  
"Well, you're bouncing so well with the ball, teach me how to do that!" Thomas asked him.  
  
"What? But it's not something I already knew... I've just tried and found out that it's easier than I thought!" the angel justified.  
"Well, teach me as well, then!" the devil insisted.  
  
"Why should I? There's plenty of your Hellish mates there, ask them!" Miro urged him, pointing at the enemies.  
"Oh, please! If I ask Basti, he never loses a chance to remind to me how miserable I am, Robert would just try to get in my pants, again; I never want to turn to Fips if I can avoid it, Marco, André and  Mats, those sadistic guys, would turn it into one of the most painful experiences ever... and if I  asked Arjen or Ribs for help... have you got the slightest idea of how unwise can be to disturb two devils of Wrath, especially if they're in the middle of something?" Thomas justified, looking concerned.  
   
Miroslav stared at him, softened, and, for some reasons, he didn't like the idea that someone could do any harm to such a cute devil.  
  
\- _What's this sudden desire I have to protect him? And please, Miro, get a holy grip, he's not even remotely cute!_ \- the guardian angel reminded to himself, but he eventually gave in.  
  
“Okay, I’ll teach you, it’s rather easy to do. You take the ball, throw it in the air and recollect it with your head, keeping an eye on it every time it bounces back on your head and hitting it all over again, trying to keep it in balance’” he instructed him, doing what he said in the process.  
  
Thomas was staring at him in awe.  
  
“You can also do that with your feet,” he went on, hitting the ball and aiming it to the ground, before catching it with his right foot, making it bounce a couple of time and then he threw the ball on his head again.  
  
“Here we go. Your turn now.” Miroslav smiled, handing the ball to Thomas.  
“No way, it’s too difficult, I’ll never manage to do that.” The devil shook his head, refusing the ball.  
  
“Well, Thomas, at least give it a try, before giving in.” The angel gently urged him. “Are you also a devil of Capitulation?” he teased him on purpose.  
  
Thomas glared at him, insulted, and then he accepted the ball and threw in it in the air.  
  
Surprisingly, he managed to catch it with his head, making it bounce.  
  
“Hey, it’s not that hard!” Thomas grinned, more self confident, going on in a very clumsy way.  
That’s true, there was nothing even remotely graceful in his way to move and yet he managed to do the bouncing perfectly.  
  
Besides, that clumsiness made Thomas even cuter to Miroslav’s eyes.    
  
The angel had to reproach himself once more; that was the third time he associated cuteness to a devil.  
  
“If you want I can teach you something as well.” the cute devil in question suggested.  
“Such as?” Miroslav questioned him.  
  
“How to be more unpredictable, how you can confuse your adversaries, without letting them know which your next move will be. I’ve found out I’m very good at doing that!” Thomas grinned, bragging a little.  
“Uh, no thank you, I don’t like cheating...” the ancient angel grumbled, shaking his head.  
“That’s not cheating! See it more like... helping your team in a smart way.” the young devil tried to convince him, scratching his own nape in frustration. “At least, don’t you want to try?”  
  
“Okay, why not? But if I judge it too unethical, I’m not going to do it.” the angel pointed out.  
  
Thomas gestured Miroslav to follow him to a more isolated area, in order to train without disturbing the others. Besides it would help not to be seen by his colleagues while he was in such forbidden company.  
  
“Deal; but now try to catch me!” Thomas urged him, putting the ball under his right foot and challenging Miroslav with his look.  
  
Miroslav studied him for a while and then he took a step forward, but Thomas immediately backed off with the ball.  
Miroslav rushed to the left and Thomas promptly turned to the right, he kicked the ball with his heel, making it trace a parabola over his head and, before Miroslav could notice, Thomas was rushing forward.  
  
“See?” the devil chuckled. “If there was a goalpost there, right now I would have scored!” he bragged, but after all he had every right to do that.  
  
“Wow, I have to recognise that you’re very good at it, for a moment I thought you used a trick to turn invisible!” the angel confessed.  
  
“No tricks, only a lot of smartness and agility!” Thomas giggled. “Your turn, now.”  
“What? No way, I can't do such a thing. You’re so young and full of energy, instead I’m...”  
  
“You’re what? Old? Please, don’t be ridiculous. It’s you who told me before that calling you old wasn’t a nice thing to do.” the devil made him notice. “All I see is a very athletic body that’s surely still capable of wonderful feats.” he added, getting closer to him.  
  
He grabbed a flap of his T-shirt and lifted it up without a second thought. “And look at those sculpted abs!” he stated, licking his lips.  
  
“Thomas!” Miroslav jolted and blushed, utterly caught off guard.  
  
He stepped away from the devil, putting the jersey down.  
   
“What? Oh right, maybe you want to see mine, too. Here, have a look!” Thomas smirked, lifting his jersey up as well, without any shame, exposing equally sculpted abs.  
Miroslav couldn’t help watching and - Heaven help him - he did appreciate what he saw.  
  
“Please, Thomas. I don’t know much about football, but it surely is not about lifting up jerseys.” the ancient angel made him notice, in a sort of plead.  
“I guess you’re right.” the young devil nodded, pulling his T-shirt down. “It’s about running and doing you best with the ball. C’mon, Mr. Yummy-abs, show me what you can do!” he exhorted Miroslav, passing the ball to him.  
  
********************************* (In the meantime)  
  
Since it wasn’t his turn to train at the goalpost yet, and Iker was doing a magnificent job, Manuel had taken advantage of that to enjoy some relax, cuddling one of his beloved animals.  
  
“Who’s the cutest one? Oh, yes, of course you are!” he spoke with a funny high-pitched voice, petting a brown and white squirrel.  
  
The little animal squealed in delight.  
  
“But don’t tell the rabbit, the dove and the snake, because I told them the same thing and they’re rather sensitive about that!” the angel chuckled.  
  
Out of the blue, the squirrel jumped from his lap and ran away, towards the closest tree.  
  
Manuel knew very well that animals can sense evil entities before anyone else and he had to wait just a bunch of seconds, before said evil entity reached for him.  
Too bad for Manuel that he was a very fascinating Evil, walking with too much self confidence to be contained in such a petite body.  
  
“Manuel! I knew I would have found you in the greenest area ever, dear my nature-lover!” Philipp made fun of him.  
  
“You. Please, not you. Not again!” Manuel muttered, rolling his eyes.  
  
Philipp just chuckled and sat next to him.  
  
“Tsk, tsk, Manu, angels are supposed to be a lot nicer than this, you know? Oh, c’mon, aren’t you happy to see me?”  
“As happy as a penguin in the desert!” Manuel barked back, without even looking at him.  
“Oh, we’re rather moody today, aren’t we? Oh c’mon, you could be more easy-going. Didn’t you miss me? After all it’s been a while since that mission. How long? Eleven, maybe twelve years?” Philipp wondered.  
“Eleven years, nine months, three weeks, two days and four hours.” Manuel sighed.  
“Did you count the days? Well, this is not an answer from someone who didn’t miss me!” the devil smirked triumphal.  
  
Finally, Manuel raised his gaze, facing his interlocutor.  
  
\- _Blessed Heaven! Were his eyes this deep and dark even the last time?_ –  he wondered, feeling lost.  
  
“Okay, I did, even if I shouldn’t. You ruined my existence!” the angel of Righteousness groaned.  
“Quite the contrary, I changed it for the better!” Philipp struck back.  
“No way, Philipp, you made me know things I didn’t want to know!” Manuel accused him.  
  
The devil of Gluttony smirked, with a lustful glint in his eyes, sliding closer to the angel.  
  
“Do you still remember its taste?” Philipp teased him, staring into his ice blue eyes.  
“It… it  was nothing special, after all.” the angel babbled.  
“Liar!” the devil hissed. “What if I had it with me now?”  
“You… you’re bluffing!” Manuel answered, almost terrified.  
  
It had taken him at least five years to recover from that sort of addiction.  
  
“Am I?” Philipp sneered, bringing his arm forward and then he opened his hand.  
  
In a matter of few seconds a jar with a dark brown cream inside appeared on his palm.  
  
“If only you know how many souls I won with this treat!” the devil evilly laughed.  
“How can something so evil… have such a heavenly taste?” the angel wondered, unable to take his eyes off of the jar.  
  
“Why don’t you enjoy some?” Philipp urged Manuel, opening the jar.  
“N-no, I shouldn’t…” the angel babbled, in clear difficulty.  
  
Especially when he saw that Philipp had already dipped two fingers in the oh so thick cream.  
  
“Oh, c’mon, only a little lick, it won’t do any harm to you…” the devil went on tempting him.  
  
Manuel tried his best to back off, but Philipp was quicker and he practically pushed those two fingers between the angel’s soft and semi-parted lips.  
  
The result was immediate.  
  
Manuel forgot any desire to fight or resist and sucked his fingers as if they were the most delicious thing in the world.  
  
Once he was done, Manu pulled Philipp’s fingers off his mouth and stared at him intensely, before snatching the precious jar of cream from his hand.  
Philipp just giggled, pleased, because his plan had worked.  
  
“I guess I’ll never thank humans enough for creating Nutella!” he stated.  
“Damn you and the day you made me taste it when we were in mission on Earth! I had forgot how incredibly good it tastes!” Manuel half complained, half praised, all engrossed eating Nutella.  
  
“You’re such a vision, Manu!” Philipp purred, staring at his beautiful face, all smeared with chocolate cream.  
  
“There’s another taste I want to recall…” the angel murmured, before grabbing Philipp by his jersey and pulling him closer for a kiss that wasn’t hesitant, nor delicate.  
  
When he parted from the devil, also Philipp had some cream on his cheeks and on the tip of his nose.  
Manuel smiled at him.  
  
“Sweeter than Nutella. Exactly how I remembered.”  
  
“You know, Manu, now we both are a mess and surely can’t go back on the field this way. We need some proper cleaning.” Philipp smirked, before licking the cream off Manuel’s face in a very sensual way.  
Without any invitation, the angel felt authorized to do the same thing to him, with Philipp’s great appreciation.  
  
“That’s better know. Lucky for us, we didn’t spoil our jerseys.” the petite devil stated. “By the way, acid green definitely suits you, sweetie!” he winked at the angel, making him blush.  
  
“Thank you. I was supposed to wear light blue, but… then I made another decision.” he shyly confessed.  
“Oh, I see. You’re going to be a goal keeper, then. You know, even if I chose to be a defender, it doesn’t mean that I can't leave my area and try to get as closer as I can to the goal post, if you’re there when it’s my turn to play. Because I really want to see in action!” Philipp moaned, caressing his shoulder.  
“I really hope we’ll play at the same time, because I want to give you lots of trouble!” Manuel fiercely declared.  
  
He got up, deciding that it was time to go back on the field and hopefully do some training as goalkeeper.  
  
“So, are you already going?” Philipp asked him, a little upset.  
  
“Yes, I have to. But, don’t worry, this is not a goodbye.” the angel assured him.  
  
“Ours will never be a goodbye.” the devil winked at him. “Oh, I almost forgot, you can keep the jar of Nutella.”  
“Of course I can!” Manuel retorted, holding it to his chest as if it was a treasure.  
  
Before disappearing, Manuel went back to Philipp, placing a soft kiss on his lips.  
  
“Thank you for ruining my existence, Fips. You should do that way more often!”  
  
*********************** (In the meantime)  
  
The one between Manuel and Philipp was not the only secret or forbidden relationship between an angel and a devil.  
  
Frank was wandering through the area between the two fields, wishing that who he was searching wasn’t already on the field training with the others and he was lucky.  
And taking advantage of the fact he was utterly alone, he ran towards him, hugging the devil from behind.  
  
“Chrissy! I’m so happy you didn’t start training yet!” the angel of Modesty rejoiced.  
“No way I could train, I’m waiting for the wind to cooperate, without messing my hairstyle up.” Cristiano explained.  
  
  
Probably the devil of Pride would have painfully tortured anyone who dared to address him with such a sassy pet name.  
Anyone but his Frank. He was free to do anything, as long as he could stay in the angel’s arms.  
  
Cristiano turned, kissing Frank shortly, but deeply.  
  
“I would like you even with messy hair. And look at your outfit, you’re divine!” Frank stated in awe.  
  
“Dammit!” Cristiano snapped, rolling his eyes. “I know you meant it as a compliment, but I really hate that word. Don’t you remember the one I taught to you?”  
“Huh, right, I’m so sorry. Well… was it something like you look fat?” Frank hazarded.  
“What?!” the beautiful devil snapped and Frank could swear he saw real fire in his pitch black eyes.  
  
“Fab! I meant fab, honey! I apologize, but I’m not accustomed with such modern slang yet!” the angel rushed to correct himself.  
“That’s better!” Cristiano smirked, regaining his calm. “And although it’s not my favorite colour, I have to admit that you look awesome, too, sugar!” he confessed, kissing him again, but for a longer time.  
  
“Mm… glad to know that!” Frank chuckled, before grieving.  
“What’s wrong, cutie pie?” Cristiano frowned.  
  
“Oh, Chrissy! One of my colleagues found the mirror that you gave to me and he made it disappear forever! I’m so sorry!” Frank whined, searching for comfort in his strong arms.  
“Your colleagues are bloody nosey-parkers!” Cristiano snorted, hugging him tighter. “But don’t worry, Frankie. It means that I’ll give you another one.” He smiled, making a pocket mirror appear in his hands.  
  
It was beautiful, made of silver, with sapphires nestled in the frame.  
  
“Oh my, it’s beautiful, even better than the first one you gave me.” Frank confessed, admiring it and admiring himself inside it.  
“You know, it reminds me of your eyes.” Cristiano murmured, feeling awkward for saying such sappy things. “Besides, this one is smaller, very much easier to hide if one of your nosey-parker friends shows up!”  
  
“I’ll be very careful whenever I have to use it.  Thank you so much, dear!” Frank kissed his boyfriend. “Is there anything I can do to repay you for that?”  
“Sure, you can cheer when I’ll score the most awesome goal of the match, the one of the victory!” the devil grinned.  
  
“You wish!” the angel struck back, disappointed. “If only I didn’t know it brings seven years of bad luck, I would smash this mirror against your cocky face!” he added, leaving before Cristiano could utter a word.  
  
   
Frank walked with such a rush that he didn’t even realise he was back on the angels zone and bumped into Mario and Erik, whilst they were passing the ball to each other.  
The impact made Mario hit the ball in the wrong way, sending it over the chain-link fence.  
  
“I’m so sorry, guys, I wasn’t watching where I was walking. Let me recover the ball for you.” Frank offered, ready to go.  
  
“There’s no need, I’ll go get it!” Erik smiled, running away.  
  
It didn’t take him long to cross the line and step into the devils zone.  
  
He caught a glimpse of his ball, but before he could collect it, someone else had anticipated him and now was holding it under his feet, while he was busy staring at that brave intruder.  
A shiver ran down Erik’s spine when he met again those so impossibly blue eyes.  
The owner of those eyes proved to also have a silky voice and a sort of hypnotic smile.  
  
“Hello, my beautiful peacock!”  
  
TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like sweet and innocent Erik is in big trouble ;P  
> You’ll find more about it, along with other interactions and stuff in next part ^^  
> Still not knowing exactly where I’ll go with this story, but I know I want to keep writing it ;P
> 
> I know I still have many things to update, by the way, which one would you like to see updated first?
> 
> \- this one  
> \- Highs and Lows  
> \- Not very (n)ice!  
> \- Busy schedule  
> \- We’re getting löw(e) ( but you must ask also andreaofuerte for that ;) )
> 
> \- of course, you can even answer ‘please, don’t update anything, stop writing about this fandom, you shouldn’t have updated not even this one’ XD
> 
>  
> 
> That’s all, thank for your time.
> 
> Good or bad, feel free to tell me whatever you want ^^


	4. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some new encounters, some reunions ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo,  
> I really REALLY apologize for being so shamefully late, but writer's block is a nightmare, I'm just trying to fight it :/
> 
> and I really apologize for my awful English, no beta, forgive my mistakes ;'(
> 
> I don't know if there's someone who remembers this story ... I'm just so impossibly late with updates :/ 
> 
> thank you all for the kudos and comments so far, it means so much to me :')

“Are... are you talking to me?” the shy angel gulped down, looking away.  
  
Maybe he could even manage to avoid his look, but his voice was like a caress to his skin, too soft to resist.  
  
“Of course I’m talking to you; I don’t see any other beautiful peacock around.” chuckled the  charming devil.  
  
Erik giggled, but it was more a nervous laughter.  
  
“Oh, wait. You mean this, don’t you?” he said, spreading out his colourful wings. “You know, it’s not that I am always like this. I’m just an unlucky victim of a very unpleasant joke, by that brother of mine, you can see him over there,” he paused, in order to point at Lukas, not far from there.  
  
Also Bastian was in the nearby, close enough to hear that conversation and follow the direction of Erik's pointing finger. He definitely liked what, or rather who, his eyes met.  
He just had to find way to meet him, but Bastian was a devil full of inventiveness and creativity: he already had a plan.  
  
“So, see? The point is that it’s only temporary. Tomorrow all the effects of this joke will fade away  and I’ll be normal again. No more peacock appearance.” Erik pointed out.  
  
Robert smirked in a way that Erik felt his legs suddenly weak.  
  
“So do you think it’s only for the colourful wings? You’re so wrong, my friend.” the devil chuckled.  
  
“Friend. Are we friends?” the angel frowned.  
  
“I hope we can become my favourite category of friends: friends with benefits.” Robert sneered, stepping dangerously closer.  
"Friends with benefits? Why not?" Erik agreed with excitment.  
  
"What did you say?" Robert babbled, staring at him, rather puzzled.  
“I guess it would be amazing to be friends with benefits. You mean the benefits of a good friendship, right? Such as altruism, loyalty, mutual availableness..” the angel grinned in approval.  
  
Robert burst out laughing.  
“You know, sweet feathers, naive creatures like you are the funniest ones to corrupt!” he  whispered in his ear, while he caressed his chin with a finger.  
  
Erik jolted and prudently stepped back, moving his sinful hand away.  
  
“Anyway, you’re a peacock and you always will be, no matter what: the way you move, the way you talk,  the way you’re staring at me. Always catching attention. **My**   attention. You are a peacock in everything you do.” the devil stated, his dark blue eyes never leaving him.  
  
He could count all the shades of blushing on the pretty angel’s cheeks, as he listened to his words.  
  
“Huh! No way, I’m not like that, I don’t care about vanity... and mostly I don’t want to catch your attention!” the angel of Simplicity protested.  
  
“Too late for that, you already did and you won’t get rid of me so easily,” Robert smirked. “So now, unless you want me to call you ‘peacock’ for all the eternity, would you tell me your name?”  
  
After all, at the very end, Erik liked the way the devil addressed to him with that ‘peacock’, but he  would  rather die than confessing that to him.  
  
“I’m Erik.” the blond babbled.  
“I’m Robert ... and I’m going to be your obsession!” the brunet smirked.  
  
“Okay, obsession, could you please give the ball back to me now?”  Erik gently demanded.  
“Sure,” Robert pretended to handle it to him, but took it back before Erik could touch it.  
  
“But...”  
“What do I gain if I do that?” the devil of Lust inquired.  
  
“Well... my thankfulness?” Erik exitated.  
“Nice try! What about a kiss?” Robert challenged him.  
  
Erik was so shocked by such a request that he spread his wings wide.  
“A... what?”  
  
“Oh, c’mon, all I’m asking for is a little, sweet, quick and innocent kiss!” the devil insisted, closing  his mouth and puckering his lips up, as he waited for his reward.  
  
Robert was such a vision like that, but Erik didn’t want to surrender so easily.  
He had the feeling that it would be very fun to tease that devil, just a tiny bit.  
  
Erik leant closer, his face only a few inches from Robert’s, but he moved away at the very last moment.  
  
“You are anything but innocent!” the angel stated, his green eyes sparkling with genuine amusement.  
  
Robert chuckled, nodding.  
“You are not so naive, after all!”  
  
“You know what? I don’t need the ball, after all, we have so many ones in our fields; you can keep  it. Bye,  Robert!” the angel said, walking away.  
  
“Hey, Erik!” Robert shouted from afar, before kicking the ball, as hard as he could.  
  
Erik turned, but before the ball could painfully hit his face, he promptly jumped, stopping it with his chest and domesticated it easily.  
“Thank you!” Erik yelled back, winking at him and waving his hand to him.  
  
Amazed but mostly amused by his readiness of reflexes, Robert smiled to himself: things could have  become very interesting if he had had that angel against him during the match, as a defender.  
Just at the thought of their closeness, the devil could already drool in anticipation.  
  
\- Until that moment, I guess I could visit a certain angel in his dreams and make them extremely vivid! - the devil of Lust naughtily  planned.  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Bastian waited and waited and waited again; but things were not going as he expected.  
He was sure that the balloon would end in his area soon, but truth was that the prankster angel and his partner were doing the exercise flawlessly and never had the wrong aim.  
Bastian wasn’t known for his patience and couldn’t wait any longer.  
  
That’s why when his prey’s head hit the ball for the umpteenth time, he created a sudden gust of  wind that pushed the ball away from the field, in his direction.  
  
“Huh! That’s very strange … I was sure I hit the ball correctly!” Lukas mumbled. “Okay, Toni, I’m going to  recollect the ball.” he added, walking away.  
  
He was about to reach the enemies’ field, when a blond devil ran towards him, holding the ball.  
  
“Hey! I guess this is your ball, you must have kicked it in the wrong way.” the devil stated. “For this time I’ll give it back to you, but don’t repeat the same mistake!”  
“Huh! Thank you… you’re so… kind?” Lukas grumbled so confused that it mostly sounded like a  question.  
  
“Well, I believe that even sworn enemies have to collaborate sometimes.” the blond struck back, offering his most innocent smile.  
“Yeah, I guess so.” Lukas giggled.  
  
“Okay, I’m going to throw the ball at you. Why don’t you prove to me how trained you are and stop it with your head?” the devil suggested.  
“I’m more than ready, throw it!” the angel grinned.  
  
The blond sneered, throwing the ball in the angel’s direction.  
Lukas was ready to hit it, when his sixth sense alerted him that something wasn’t right.  
He moved away right before the ball hit him and he did the right thing.  
  
As a matter of fact, the ball didn’t bounce on the ground, as expected, but it sank deep inside, creating a deep hole.  
The ‘ball’ was nothing else but a heavy stone, ball-shaped.  
  
“Dammit, why did you move?” the devil cursed, rather disappointed.  
“Hoy feathers! Are you nuts? You could have killed me!” Lukas snapped, rather shocked.  
  
“It’s very hard to kill someone who is immortal!” his counterpart made him notice.  
“Well, okay… but you could have hurt me so, so much!” Lukas corrected himself.  
“Hell yeah, that was my brilliant plan!” the devil sneered.  
  
“So... are you really telling me that you hid the normal ball and replaced it with this dangerous one made of stone?” Lukas recapped.  
“I couldn’t have explained it better myself!” the devil stated triumphal.  
  
Lukas narrowed his eyes at him and then grinned out of the blue.  
“That’s so genial! How did you manage to invent such a wonderful joke?” the angel giggled.  
  
Bastian was astonished.  
“Do… do you really like it?”  
“Like it? I heavenly love it! Sure, it’s way too violent for my standards… but with a little modification it  would be perfect!”  
“Modifications such as?” the other inquired.  
  
“Well… you know. Instead of stone, we could use a tinier rubber, with some water inside it. IJust try to picture in your mind the scene: a pair of our colleagues have to recollect their ball. We take it and replace it with the light rubber one, throwing it to them. Once they hit it, the ball-shaped rubber breaks and… the shower is done!” the angel debated. "You know, human beings use to call it 'water baloons'  and have tons of fun with that!"  
  
“Hey, I like that! But water is so lame… what about incandescent lava? Or itching powder?” Bastian suggested.  
“Huh, you know, they’re both very funny ideas, but let’s start from the simpler things. After all, the match will take us so much time… we have so many occasions to invent new jokes for all our colleagues, day by day!”  Lukas stuck back, hoping it would be enough to convince his opponent.  
He would find a way to take his mind off those oh so painful ideas, Lukas was sure of that. He just needed time.  
   
“You know, Funny-Feathers, I like the way you think. Okay, we’ll do things your way!” the devil approved.  
“Alright! So… can we start already now? I can find an easy excuse to stop my training. After all, I’m sure that Toni can find someone else to play with.” Lukas babbled, eager to start that funny game.  
   
Bastian should have listened to a voice in his head saying ‘No way, you’ve promised to Philipp that there  won’t be pranks for today! ‘ … but c’mon, which devil is supposed to have a conscience? And even if they had one, who would ever listen to that?  
   
“I’m already free; we can start whenever you want, Funny-Feathers, your choice about the victims!” he offered.  
“Well, although I like ‘Funny-Feathers’ pretty much, I’ve got a name, too: I’m Lukas and I'm an angel of Hope!” the angel replied while he stretched his hand, deciding it was the proper time for polite introductions.  
“You’re joking, right? I’m Bastian, a devil of Despair!” the devil laughed, without even noticing he was actually shaking his hand.  
  
Hello? Devils weren’t meant to be polite… but there was something in that witty angel that drove Bastian crazy.  
   
Not to mention the way those small blue eyes glistened with mischief when he talked about pranks.  
   
“Who knows? Maybe we’ve already competed for a soul on Earth during a mission!” Bastian wondered.  
“No way. I could never forget such a cutie like you!” escaped from Lukas' mouth, without a second thought.  
  
Bastian grinned even more.  
“Oh! So am I a cutie?” he winked at the angel.  
   
“Huh! Noooo, wait, you heard it wrong. I said …. _cutis_ , like skin. Yeah, I mean, look at you, oh so tanned!”  Lukas tried to clutch at straws … and miserably failed.  
“Yeah, sure. C’mon, Liar-Feathers, we have a mission to start!” Bastian said, making the ball-shaped stone disappear.  
   
\- _I preferred ‘Funny-Feathers’_ – Lukas pondered, following his new sort of friend.  
   
Yep, more than a fiend, he sounded more like a friend to him. And probably even something more.  
   
**************************************************************************  
   
Lukas was right. Toni did not remain on his own for long, but not because he had found another colleague with whom he could go on with the training.  
   
Someone had seen what had happened between his colleague and a weird angel and was about to take all the proper advantages of that situation.  
   
“Well, well. Here’s the version of you that I prefer: all alone and waiting for company.” murmured a voice behind Toni’s back. A voice he already knew even too well.  
“You! Again! Please, go away, Lukas could be back at any moment!” Toni pleaded, without even turning, since he already knew who it was.  
  
However, he was rather upset declaring that he had not much time to spend with him, because his colleague Lukas would be back in a heartbeat.  
At least that was what Toni thought.  
  
“If you mean the angel you were training with before … I saw him running away with a colleague of mine    and nope… he did not look like someone who was about to go back on his duty!” the devil stated.  
  
Toni did not register that news as a good one.  
“Probably your friend must have dragged my brother away, with force… oh dear, maybe now he’s in serious danger!”  
  
“I really don’t think so, it’s your colleague who dragged mine away, very enthusiastically!” the other informed him. “The only one in danger is you, my precious, if you think that you can stand so close to me… without giving in.” he sneered, taking one more step closer.  
“No, André, it won’t happen again.” Toni babbled, backing off.  
  
His feet hit a branch that made him stumble, but his arse did not touch the ground for a very simple reason: André had promptly caught him in his strong arms.  
In such a comfortable position that was awakening to many bittersweet memories, the angel was defeated.  
And the way André was staring at him just didn’t help.  
  
“Don’t you remember, Toni? It took me only three missions, where we were against each other, to make you mine: the first one, with kisses,” André whispered, sealing their lips together with a kiss so delicate that Toni could easily forget he was pure evil.  
He whimpered when that kiss ended.  
  
“The second one, with caresses,” André went on, caressing his face, then his neck, before his hand traced the angel’s light blue jersey. “And the third mission.. oh, the third one! I wouldn’t mind a quick review of it, behind that brush. What do you think, sugar?”  
  
“André! Please, nooo…” Toni moaned, but truth was that he hadn’t even make a move to break free from the devil’s embrace.  
And André knew Toni well enough to figure out when his _no_ actually meant _yes_.  
  
 That’s why twenty minutes later, Toni came out of the brush with him, with his shorts and jersey all crumpled and  covered by grass, his hair all ruffled, while he tried to recompose himself and show some dignity.  
  
“Things will be very different once we are on field!” he asserted.  
“Oh well, it will be surely more comfortable there, we’ll have more space … but are you sure you won’t mind having all that audience looking at us while we have wild, wild sex?” André teased him.  
  
Toni’s cheeks turned redder than the devil’s jersey.  
“That’s not what I meant!”  
“However, you’re the filthiest Angel of Purity I’ve ever met!” André chuckled.  
  
Toni wouldn’t be surprised if even his white wings had flushed after his words.  
  
“Shut up or I’ll tell anyone you are a sucker for cuddling!” he shrewdly tried to blackmail him.  
“Don’t you dare! You know I have a reputation to defend!” growled the devil, but then he sneered again, mischievousness in his blue eyes, while he caressed his blond beard stubble.  
  
“You know, speaking of ‘suck’ …”  
“No holy way!  Forget it, André. That’s not going to ever happen. Ever!” Toni rushed to interrupt him, because he had already figured out the dirty thing he was about say.  
  
“As the wild and glorious sex was going to never happen!” the devil amused himself, teasing the angel a little bit more.  
“Just leave me alone!” Toni almost shout, before running away.  
  
“You wish!” André replied, mostly to himself.  
He was about to reach his mates for more training, but something tapped his shoulder and when he turned he found out it was the tip of Toni’s left wing.  
It seemed that the angel needed to make a point.  
  
 “However, André, I’m the only Angel of Purity you’ll ever met!” he quietly stated.  
“Oh! So does that allows me to flirt with all the other kind of angels?” the devil of Corruption made fun of  him.  
  
Toni grew paler and paler.  
“N-noo… wait.. that’s not what I meant..” he stuttered.  
  
André chuckled.  
“Calm down, sugar’” his voice soothed the unsure angel. “You’re the only angel in all the whole Heaven that I want.”  
Toni grinned proudly.  
  
André couldn’t just miss the umpteenth chance of teasing his clandestine lover a little more.  
  
“Weren’t we at the point you want me to leave you alone?” he reminded to the angel.  
  
Toni immediately changed expression and  stared coldly at the devil.  
  
“That’s right. You, impure, nasty, wicked, demon, leave me alone!” he melodramatically declaims, before  flying away.  
  
André smiled amused.  
  
\- _Angels: can’t live with them; can’t live without them!_ -  
\--  
   
TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know… Toni and André, once again …I can’t help it, I’m sort of obsessed by that pairing … hope you won’t mind ^^’.  
> I promise the match will start for real… one day XD  
> Hope you still like it… or remembered it … whatever! ^^  
> thanks for your time!

**Author's Note:**

> yeah, I know that in the prompt I said I wanted Philipp as an angel, but then I realized that picturing him like a feared devil with an extreme bossy attitude was way too funnier ^^
> 
> just like picturing Manu as a sort of 'good giant' petting and cuddling animals , lol, maybe it's because my Sims!Manu acts so, lol lol
> 
>  
> 
> So... should I go on with that too or just quit it and give up with supernatural AU stories? :/
> 
> Tell me whatever you want, even insults are accepted XD
> 
> kudos are extra appreciated :) if you actually liked what you read, of course XDD
> 
> *runs away and wishes goodnight ìcos it's very very late*
> 
> p.s. Next update will be 'Highs and Lows' , this time for real XD


End file.
